Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 2026

Introduction

The Marketing Centre South Africa recognises the protection of personal information and privacy as an important responsibility.

This Privacy Policy explains our privacy practices, including the ways in which we collect, use, store, share and protect your personal information.

This Privacy Policy applies to our services and to the platforms that we use. When we refer to platforms, we mean our website, online forms, assessments and tools, email communications, social media platforms, events, webinars and any other technology or mechanism you may use to interact with us.

We process personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable South African legislation.

This Privacy Policy will be reviewed periodically and may change from time to time. The latest version will always be available on our website.

What personal information may we collect?

The personal information we may collect, retain and process will depend on how you interact with us and may include:

• your title, first name and surname;
• your job title, role or position within an organisation;
• your company or organisation name;
• your email address and telephone number;
• your physical or business address where relevant;
• information relating to your business, marketing requirements, challenges, objectives or interests;
• information that you provide when completing one of our forms, assessments, tools or surveys;
• information provided when registering for an event, webinar, workshop or programme;
• records of correspondence and communications with us;
• your marketing and communication preferences;
• information relating to services that we provide to you;
• billing or financial information where required for the provision of our services;
• professional information that is publicly available, including information published on company websites, professional directories and platforms such as LinkedIn;
• website usage information, such as your IP address, browser type, device information, referring website and interactions with our website and content; and
• any other information that you voluntarily provide to us.

We do not generally require or intentionally collect special personal information, such as information relating to your health, race, religious beliefs or political opinions, as part of our ordinary marketing activities.

We will only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it is collected, our legitimate business activities or where required by law.

Personal information may be collected when you:

• enquire about our services;
• become a client or prospective client;
• contact us by telephone, email, website form or social media;
• download a guide, report or other resource;
• complete an assessment or online tool;
• register for or attend an event, webinar or programme;
• subscribe to our marketing communications;
• engage with our content;
• interact with us through LinkedIn or another professional platform; or
• provide information to us directly in another manner.

We may also obtain appropriate business contact information from publicly available sources where permitted by law.

How and when will we process your personal information?

Your personal information will only be processed for the purpose for which it was collected or for another purpose that is compatible with that purpose and permitted by law.

This may include:

• responding to enquiries;
• fulfilling our contractual and legal obligations to you;
• providing our marketing services;
• assessing your marketing or business requirements;
• preparing proposals or recommendations;
• managing and maintaining our relationship with you;
• administering events, webinars, assessments, tools and programmes;
• maintaining accurate client and prospective client records;
• managing information within our customer relationship management (CRM) systems;
• communicating relevant information about our services;
• marketing our services, insights, events or other offerings where permitted by law;
• measuring the effectiveness of our marketing activity;
• improving our website, content, tools and services;
• conducting statistical, market or business research;
• managing our financial and administrative records;
• protecting our systems, platforms and business against misuse or security risks;
• complying with legislative, regulatory or industry requirements; and
• establishing, exercising or protecting our legal rights.

We will only process personal information where we have an appropriate basis to do so under POPIA, including where you have provided consent, where processing is necessary to perform a contract, where we are required to do so by law, or where processing is necessary to protect a legitimate interest.

Direct marketing and communicating with you

We may communicate with you regarding our services, events, insights, resources and other information that may be relevant to you.

Where electronic direct marketing requires your consent under POPIA, we will obtain that consent before sending unsolicited marketing communications.

Where you are an existing client, we may communicate with you about our own similar services where permitted by law.

Our electronic marketing communications will identify The Marketing Centre South Africa and will provide you with an appropriate way to unsubscribe or request that we stop sending marketing communications.

You may withdraw your consent to receive marketing communications or object to direct marketing at any time.

You can do this by:

• using the unsubscribe option contained in our marketing emails; or
• contacting us at info@themarketingcentre.co.za.

Withdrawing from marketing communications will not prevent us from sending you service-related or administrative communications where these are necessary in connection with services that you have requested from us.

When will we share your personal information?

We will only share personal information where reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, to fulfil our obligations to you, to operate our business or where required by law.

This may include sharing information with:

• authorised employees, consultants and marketing professionals working with The Marketing Centre South Africa;
• approved service providers;
• website hosting and technology providers;
• CRM and marketing automation providers;
• email and communication platforms;
• analytics and reporting providers;
• event and webinar service providers;
• professional advisers such as accountants, auditors or legal advisers;
• other companies within The Marketing Centre network where appropriate;
• government, regulatory or law enforcement authorities where required by law; or
• another party where you have authorised us to share your information.

Where a third-party service provider processes personal information on our behalf, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate confidentiality, privacy and security requirements are in place.

We do not sell your personal information.

Processing or storing information outside South Africa

Some of the technology platforms and service providers that we use may store or process information outside South Africa.

We may also need to share appropriate information with companies or individuals within The Marketing Centre network outside South Africa.

Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer complies with POPIA and that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal information.

How do we protect your personal information?

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal information against loss, damage, unauthorised destruction, unlawful access, unauthorised disclosure or unlawful processing.

Personal information may be stored electronically, within cloud-based platforms or systems, and where applicable in physical format.

We use reputable service providers and take reasonable measures to ensure that personal information held on our behalf is appropriately protected.

Our security measures may include appropriate access controls, passwords, authentication, secure technology platforms, backups and restrictions on access to personal information.

Although we take reasonable steps to protect information, no electronic transmission, internet connection or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Where we become aware of a security compromise involving personal information, we will take appropriate steps in accordance with POPIA, which may include notifying affected individuals and the Information Regulator where required.

Website, cookies and analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to enable website functionality, understand how visitors use the website, improve the user experience and measure the performance of our website and marketing activities.

Information collected through these technologies may include:

• IP address;
• browser and device information;
• pages visited;
• links clicked;
• referring websites;
• time spent on the website; and
• other website interaction information.

Some cookies are required for the website to function. Other cookies, including analytics or marketing cookies, may be subject to your preferences or consent where appropriate.

You can manage cookies through your browser settings and, where available, through the cookie preferences provided on our website.

Communicating with you

We generally communicate electronically wherever practical, including through email and appropriate digital platforms.

Where documents or information are sent electronically or through third-party communication services, we will take reasonable measures to safeguard the information being transmitted.

However, electronic communications and internet-based services cannot be guaranteed to be completely secure, and we cannot accept responsibility for unauthorised access that occurs outside our reasonable control.

Keeping your personal information

We will only process and retain your personal information for as long as the purpose for which it was collected remains relevant, or where we are required to retain it to comply with legal, regulatory, contractual or legitimate business requirements.

This may mean that certain information is retained for longer than the period during which we actively provide services to you.

Once personal information is no longer required and there is no lawful reason for retaining it, we will take reasonable steps to securely delete, destroy or de-identify the information.

What are your rights regarding your personal information?

Subject to applicable law, you have the right to request that we:

• confirm whether we hold personal information about you;
• provide you with access to personal information that we hold about you;
• correct personal information that is inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, out of date, incomplete or misleading;
• delete or destroy personal information that we are no longer authorised to retain; or
• stop processing your information in certain circumstances.

You may withdraw your consent for us to process your personal information at any time where the processing is based on your consent.

Withdrawal of consent will not affect:

• processing that took place before your consent was withdrawn;
• processing required to comply with an obligation imposed by law;
• processing required for the performance of a contract; or
• processing required to protect your legitimate interests, our legitimate interests or those of a third party where permitted by law.

You may also object to the processing of your personal information on reasonable grounds in circumstances permitted by POPIA.

You may object at any time to your personal information being used for direct marketing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Information Officer using the details below.

We may need to verify your identity before giving access to, correcting or deleting personal information.

Links to other websites and platforms

Our website and communications may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms or other online services.

These third parties operate independently of The Marketing Centre South Africa and may have their own privacy policies and practices.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites or platforms and encourage you to review their privacy notices when using their services.

Complaints

If you have a concern regarding the way in which we have processed or protected your personal information, please contact our Information Officer so that we can investigate the matter.

You also have the right to submit a complaint to the Information Regulator (South Africa) regarding an alleged interference with the protection of your personal information.

Information Regulator (South Africa)
Woodmead North Office Park
54 Maxwell Drive
Woodmead
Johannesburg
2191
South Africa

Postal address:
P.O. Box 31533
Braamfontein
Johannesburg
2017

Telephone: 010 023 5200
Toll-free: 0800 017 160
Email: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za

Complaints may also be submitted through the Information Regulator’s online complaints and eServices facilities.

Our contact information

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy, the personal information we hold about you or the way in which we process your information, please contact us:

The Marketing Centre South Africa

Email: info@themarketingcentre.co.za

Information Officer: Sally Shuttleworth
Information Officer email: sally.shuttleworth@themarketingcentre.co.za
Physical address:The Marketing Centre, 184 Upper Buitenkant Street Oranjezicht, Cape Town, 8001